A Tennessee athletic department in need of some positivity got a shot in the arm this spring thanks to Tony Vitello's baseball program. The fourth-ranked Vols (40-13) are playing like a team capable of making the College World Series for the first time since 2005.

And the fiery and affable Vitello, Tennessee's fourth-year coach, has emerged as one of the most popular figures in town. Tennessee will close the regular season with a three-game series at South Carolina (32-18) that will begin Thursday (7 p.m. ET).